In 1974 the World Gliding Championships were held for the first time in Australia (at Waikerie in South Australia), arranged by the Gliding Federation of Australia. The sport for the decade thereafter grew rapidly in both participant numbers and resources.
For that time the sport focussed on its modern sporting and operational activities.

Then
In the following years however, some enthusiasts also began to collect, restore and fly older sailplane types. They valued the pleasure to fly these types now superceded in performance terms by modern sailplanes.
Vintage Gliders Australia had been formed by these enthusiasts Australia-wide.

In 1989 the sport recognised the 60th anniversary of the sport's beginnings in Australia.
A vintage sailplane rally was held by VGA at Lochiel in South Australia, attended by 2 dozen diverse older sailplane types.
At this gathering, the South Australian Gliding History Trust was formed amongst some local enthusiasts, and the concept of preserving the sport's history re-emerged.

Beverley Matthews of Encounter Bay spearheaded much of the Trust's activities; notably to carry out oral history research with the few remaining participants from the sport's beginnings in the 1920's; and to collect memorabilia from that period.

The outcome was that a significant storehouse of knowledge and artifacts came together, reflecting the sport's beginnings, unknown to most of soaring's current participants.

Homes for our history
Similar interest began to arise across Australia.
Particularly in Melbourne, Victoria; where the prominent Vintage Gliders Australia personalities began to collect older sailplanes of type or historic value, sought affiliation officially with the Gliding Federation of Australia, museum bodies and the emergent Point Cook historic aviation site.

Meanwhile, in South Australia, the progress was less formal. Interested enthusiasts in several locations began collecting historic sailplanes or projects of significance.
One of these is the Adelaide Hills Soaring Group Inc. at its flying site at Monarto.

soaring museum at Monarto
The soaring site here began in 1983. As well as routine flying activities, the enthusiasts here had over the years undertaken a number of small projects. Some involved an artifact or issue involving the sport's past.
(see the 'projects' file on this site.)

30 years on
In 2000 the first tentative steps toward putting a display centre together began at Monarto.
The site is a former quarry on the land. This site was rehabilitated, and the first 200m2 shelter was constructed.
In June 2001 it opened with an initial display.
This display continues to be evolved.
In 2003, sensing the imminent addition of further material beyond the stage 1. storage capacity, construction began of stage 2. storage as is displayed on the photo.